The recent PiL "reunion" tour warrants a revisiting of the last true incarnation of the band, as the new PiL lineup currently on tour does not include any of the original members besides John Lydon. Instead it features Lydon and a sideshow of hired touring musicians, and absent are all of the more musically talented individuals that played on the band's most groundbreaking albums. The most obvious exclusions are that of guitarist Keith Levene, bassist Jah Wobble and drummer Martin Atkins. Anyone with taste who views footage of the new PiL or even listens to their late-80s albums can tell you the material really suffers without the free form guitar work of Levene. This reunion is not really a reunion at all.
For a little bit of history, the band was forged in 1978 by Lydon, Levene and Wobble. Levene had been an original member of the Clash and like Lydon was disatisfied with the musical direction of punk. Levene found kindred alienated spirits with eclectic musical tastes in Lydon and Wobble, and along with a Spinal Tap cast of drummers (which included Atkins) the three recorded two of the most influential post-punk albums ever. After playing on those first two (and arguably best) albums, Wobble left and went on to become a prolific world music player, occasionally flirting with new age mediocrity. Despite the ceasing of live performances, Wobble's departure, Levene's heroin use, and Lydon's ego, PiL recorded the truly unique 1981 Flowers of Romance album. Lydon and Levene wisely opted not to try and fill Wobble's spot, instead composing a short but brilliant eastern-tinged experimental record which explored minimalist and heavily percussive textures. By 1982, Levene and Lydon attempted to revive the group as a proper band, including getting a new bass player to play shows and record. However this version was short lived, and by 1983 Levene had left. Lydon then formed a new version of PiL which featured a neverending cast of musicians that pushed PiL into a more conventional rock sound with little trace of the bold experimentation of First Issue, Second Edition, and Flowers of Romance. Levene did however manage to salvage the recordings from this period.
Released by Levene after his exit from PiL, Commercial Zone is the unfinished '82/'83 recordings and original concept of the album that was later rerecorded by Lydon, Atkins and faceless players as "This Is What You Want, This Is What You Get". Shortly after, Atkins left and went on to play a large role in the industrial and experimental rock scene as Pigface, amongst other projects. Levene sadly drifted into unproductive obscurity, but his self-release of Commercial Zone (which had only one pressing before being halted by Virgin Records), shows that before his exit the band's material was starting to recall the danceable sound of Second Edition. Additionally, the version of "This Is Not a Love Song" that became a hit for the band is actually the version on this album, not the version released by Lydon. I really quite enjoy both versions of the album, but the overlooked Commercial Zone is slightly superior and worth a revisiting from PiL fans who enjoy the band's earlier material.
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